Deakin University HSH715/915 2019 - Ethical Review: Nature & Health

This assignment presents a non-assessed ethical review for the HSH715/915 course, focusing on the research topic of "Nature and mental health promotion." The student outlines the research aim to understand the impact of nature on mental health in Australia, with objectives to describe the support nature provides and investigate its percentage of effect. The assignment details the required data, data sources (qualitative research approach through personal interviews), and addresses ethical considerations. These include risks to participants (privacy, appropriate research environment, researcher behavior), power relationships, informed consent (participants' rights to information and withdrawal), and privacy/confidentiality/anonymity measures. Data management and storage protocols are also described, emphasizing secure storage and disposal. The assignment aligns with the course's focus on "Nature and Health," providing a framework for a qualitative health research study that adheres to ethical guidelines and ensures participant protection.

HSH715/HSH 915 2019- Non-assessed compulsory ethical review. To be completed in Week 3 seminar
and signed off by Unit Chair prior to commencing assessment task 1.
Proposal outline and ethical review
Student name: __________________________________________________________
Research topic and question:
The topic of the research is "Nature and mental health promotion" and research questions
are:
“What support nature provides in mental health promotion in Australia?"
“Describe the percentage of effect nature have on mental health promotion in Australia?”
Research aim and 2 objective(s):
The major aim of the is to understand "the impact of nature in promoting the mental
health of an individual in Australia”
For achieving the objective the other set of objectives are:
“To describe the support nature provides in mental health promotion in Australia”
“To investigate the percentage of effect nature has on mental health promotion in
Australia”
In order to answer your researchaim and objective(s) above:
What information would you need?
(Data required)
How would you get that information?
(Data sources)
Data about nature strategies to
promote mental health.
Qualitative research approach
(Personal interview)
Data about ratio of impact nature
has on improving mental health.
Qualitative research approach
(Personal interview)
Ethical issues
1

HSH715/HSH 915 2019- Non-assessed compulsory ethical review. To be completed in Week 3 seminar
and signed off by Unit Chair prior to commencing assessment task 1.
Risks to participants: Will participants face any risks, stresses, discomfort, etc? Will these
extend beyond the risks associated with everyday life? How will you minimise these?
(For examples, privacy, research environment, researcher behavior) Refer to NHMRC
link here: https://nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/national-statement-ethical-conduct-
human-research-2007-updated-2018
Problem arises related to privacy in which participants does not disclose the overall
information. To overcome this problem I will provide information to maintain
confidentiality of the information. There is also the risk of understand the appropriate
environment for undertaking the research. Therefore, to overcome this appropriate
research environment will be selected where all the participants’ gets participate in the
research. My behavior is adjusted according to the behavior of participants due to
reducing the biasness and to maintain accuracy in the study.
Power relationships: What power relationships exist between research participants and
the researchers? Do any power relationships exist between the researcher and others? Do
power relationships exist between the research participants and others? How will these
power relationships be managed to ensure research participants are not coerced or
pressured?
The power relationship is exist between researcher and participants, this I managed by
promoting the participants to provide their equal participation in the study. Through this
the participants cannot be pressured.
Informed consent: What things will research participants need to know about before they
agree to participate in the study? Are they free to withdraw at any time? Can they have
access to their data? Will they know the results of the study after it is completed?
The participants needs to understand the subject matter of the research before
participating in the research, The participants also have right to know the time by which
they going to be participate in study. Yes they are free to withdraw at any time, they also
have right to access their data and no it is not important to provide the know them the
results of the study. Further, full disclosure principle will maintain in the study.
Privacy/Confidentiality/Anonymity: How will participants’ privacy be protected? How
can you assure that their information will be treated confidentially and that they will
remain anonymous, both during the research process and also in reports that are
produced?
The confidentiality is maintained during the research that is at the time of data collection
the complete data is secured through the use of password so that data is protected. In
report writing the confidentiality is maintained by not connecting the information with
the identity of the participants.
2

HSH715/HSH 915 2019- Non-assessed compulsory ethical review. To be completed in Week 3 seminar
and signed off by Unit Chair prior to commencing assessment task 1.
Data management and storage: How do you plan to store data? Explain how data will be
managed and stored securely. When and how will data be disposed of?
The data management is done through securing the data with strong data and password is
changing in regular manner. Further, the management is also done through conducting
periodic access review. The all the data is disposed when the research is complete and it
is disposed through pulping.
Unit Chair comments:
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